It's been said that the World Wide Web is becoming the "World Wide Wait". That's because many web sites are loaded with "high file size" graphics along with additional java "applets" for good measure. It's true, many of these web sites are visually outstanding. But, if you need specific information from one or more web sites NOW, you're just as likely to turn off "Auto Load Images" in your browser.

While this certainly speeds up your download time, web sites often fail to include text references with their graphics . . . making it far more difficult for you to navigate your way around. Further, the web site sponsor has missed the opportunity of leaving with you the branded corporate image impression they paid hard earned money to create!

The issue here is that, as pointed out by Lynda Weinman in the September 1997 issue of Web Techniques, ". . . The great irony of Web design is that most artists typically create artwork on souped-up systems that don't match those of their intended audience." In other words, many web site designers appear to be creating their pages on 32-bit operating systems (i.e. Windows 95, NT, etc.) . . . and re-viewing them on 21 inch/1600 x 1280 pixel monitors over "high band-width" telephone lines (e.g. dedicated ISDN or T-I). If you're fortunate to have access to this equipment, it's easy to become "drunk on graphics".

So, what percentage of the internet population do you think are at that level? The answer is -- only a fraction. What percentage of the remaining internet surfers use 14.4 BAUD modems with 16-bit operating systems (i.e. Windows 3.1) and 640 x 480 pixel VGA monitors? Research shows these folks are clearly in the majority.

But, that's not all! The majority of individuals surfing the world wide web are doing so through commercial online services such as America Online, Prodigy, Compuserve, etc. Many online service subscribers are not using the most current browser versions while the online services are doing their best to cope with band-width demands during peak internet traffic hours. As stated in a recent America Online Radio spot, ". . . availability may be limited, especially during peak usage." It is interesting to note that, with over 8,500,000 subscribers in North America, America Online alone has more customers than all the Internet Service Providers in the U.S. combined.

Research also shows that, on average, the most amount of time an individual will wait for a site to load up is about 20 seconds. So, let's do the math. The majority of internet surfers are using 14.4 BAUD modems. "14.4 BAUD" simply means 1,440 bytes of data being transmitted each second. Keep in mind that during peak internet usage hours, the BAUD rate of your modem can be as slow as 250 - 700 bytes per second -- regardless of the speed of your modem.

Continuing on with our math . . . 1,440 bytes times 20 seconds (the longest time an individual will wait for a page to upload) equals approximately 28,800 bytes. This means you're virtually asking visitors to leave your site if any single page on your site is more than 28,800 bytes -- including all of your graphics -- buttons, logo mast head, wallpaper and java scripting . . . everything. If someone needs to surf your site at "high tide" (where transmissions can be below 500 bytes/second), a basic 10,000 byte page can take 15 - 20 seconds to load for a commercial online service browser.

In spite of this, it is not uncommon for web site home pages to open up with a graphic of the company logo that, by itself, is anywhere between 25,000 to 50,000 bytes. These home pages look wonderful. Unfortunately, they run the risk of losing valuable prospects and customers simply because they ran out of patience waiting for the site to load up.

In sum . . . if your objective is to provide your site visitors a quick-response experience, aim to keep the combined file size for every page under 28,000 - 30,000 bytes.

Take a moment to read more helpful Web Site Design Tips. As well, we would be happy to talk with personally about how you can build a profitable web presence for your business. Send us an e-mail for more information or call us now at 818.883.5601. Either way, we promise a timely response.

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